Reviewed by Brendan O'Regan

Taize chants are so distinctive - calming music, varied but simple choral arrangements - and each song highlighting a brief phrase, often from Scripture and often in Latin, with some in French. If you're into Taize music this is a real treat, no less than 50 of these calming songs, including all the well known chants - "O Lord Hear My Prayer", "Ubi Caritas", "Jesus Remember Me" and "Veni Sancte Spiritus". This is an album with so many uses, but it will be especially useful for solo or group prayer. Teachers will find it useful for school use, while choir directors will find it a treasure. Listeners will more than likely dip in and out of it rather than play the CDs from one end to the other. With the proliferation of gospel choirs, Christian rock, church folk groups and the like it's significant that relaxing, even repetitious, Scriptural music can have such an appeal, especially among the young people who flock to Taize every year. The words of all the chants are included in the accompanying booklet. The one major drawback is that these recordings AREN'T Taize originals but emanate from the "cover version" series issued by Kingsway over the last few years under the name Songs Of Taize. Misleading packaging indeed.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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Celebrating its seventieth birthday this summer as well as reflecting on the five years that have passed since founder Brother Roger was killed during evening prayer on August 16th 2005 – the Taizé community continues to draw together Christians of all denominations, Catholic and Protestant, from many nations to experience and model reconciliation and true community.

Anyone who has visited the community in eastern France will know that worship is at the heart of what they do. And while each year thousands of young people flock to Taizé, its simple songs of worship, sung in many languages, have travelled further still.

The Best Taizé Album In The World... Ever! offers up 3 CDs full of fifty beautiful songs. Fusing music, prayers, chants, Psalms and other lines from Scripture these simple songs are a powerful tool for anyone looking to pause, worship and reflect on the glory of God.